cabinet piano

musical instrument

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Last updated

June 22, 2026

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A cabinet piano is a type of upright piano that was popular in the 19th century. These instruments were characterized by their very tall, rectangular shape, with shelves in the upper part of the case to the right of the strings. This design allowed for unusually long strings, contributing to their sound. The cabinet piano was one of several forms of upright pianos developed during the 18th and early 19th centuries, alongside the pyramid and giraffe pianos, as manufacturers sought more compact alternatives to grand pianos.12

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keyboard instrument
Other early forms
…yielded the tall rectangular “cabinet piano.” Because the lower end of the strings, which ran nearly vertically, was about at the level of the keyboard, all such instruments were very tall. Although there were attempts to construct lower instruments by, in effect, positioning a square piano on its side,…
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…yielded the tall rectangular “cabinet piano.” Because the lower end of the strings, which ran nearly vertically, was about at the level of the keyboard, all such instruments were very tall. Although there were attempts to construct lower instruments by, in effect, positioning a square piano on its side,…
Read More